All posts tagged: Ottolenghi The cookbook

semolina and strawberry tart

Semolina and Strawberry Tart

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We deviated from our standard strawberry tart recipe and baked this for our easter lunch. It is an interesting hybrid  between the classic tart and the greek galaktoboureko and great when eaten same day. We kept some in the fridge for the next day, but the baked filling turned too solid. The moral of the story is, bake it for same day consumption. (Based on a recipe from Ottolenghi “The Cookbook”) For the sweet pastry 330g plain flour 100g icing sugar zest of 1 lemon, finely grated 1/4 tsp salt 180g cold unsalted butter 1 egg yolk 2 Tbsp cold water For the filling 345ml milk 180ml whipping cream 60g caster sugar 80g butter 1/2 vanilla pod, split lengthwise and seeds scrapped out 60g semolina 1 egg 200g strawberries icing sugar, to garnish For the sweet pastry, combine flour, sugar, salt,lemon zest and the butter in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Change to the hook attachment and add the egg yolk and the cold water. Continue mixing  until dough comes together …

Fennel and crumble gratin

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This is an unusual combination of Mediterranean ingredients with British resourcefulness, facilitated by an Israeli chef. Fennel is a Mediterranean plant, attested in Mycenaean Linear B tablets as ma-ra-tu-wo (it is still called marathos in Greek). Linear B was used by professional scribes for administrative purposes – we know that fennel was stocked or traded in Mycenaean palaces in the late bronze age (Helen of Troy enjoying fennel with honey?). Fennel was introduced in the British Isles probably by the Romans. It is mentioned together with thyme, another ingredient of this recipe, in the pagan “Nine Herb Charm”, intended to treat poisoning and infection. Crumble toppings became popular in the UK during WWII, as an economical alternative to pies due to shortages of ingredients as a result of rationing. (Despite its humble and rustic associations it crossed the channel and became popular with the french). These two different ‘streams’ come together in this recipe of Ottolenghi , with some dissonance, because of the sugar in the crumble. You can have it cold or warm, as a starter or as a …